I got invited by a group of divers to dive the Seas exhibit at Disney’s Epcot. I’ve been diving places such as 200ft deep wrecks, on beautiful reefs, and in hypnotizing kelp forests, but the thought of being able to swim up to the window and wave hello to my 3-year-old daughter had me a little bit giddy. As I eagerly stood on the deck of the aquarium, I was suddenly struck with a bit of hesitation. Not because I was diving in a tank with sharks. Not because I was diving with a people I’ve never dived with before in gear that I’ve never used. No, I was getting nervous because I was standing in an aquarium issued 2mm shorty while the dive masters were all in 7mm wetsuits… Being cold stinks.
Heat loss and diving go hand-in-hand. It is uncommon to dive in a body of water that is at or above your body temperature. While some are less sensitive to “feeling” cold, repetitive dives in water temps less than body heat will lead to heat loss, and possibly hypothermia. It’s just science, folks.
You may not feel it on the first dive in warm water, but subtle effects begin to rear their ugly heads on subsequent dives. The first thing you may notice is your rate of breathing increases. You may start to feel “antsy” and less focused, or you become fixated on something like that drip of water you can’t get out of your mask. Continued diving with minimal exposure protection can lead to loss of concentration and motor skills… Is it getting harder to push the buttons on your computer yet? When hypothermia starts to set in, it becomes more difficult for your body to off-gas, putting you at a higher risk for DCS.
There are a couple of ways to prevent this from happening. The obvious one is to wear a wetsuit, even in warm water. Wearing a wetsuit, preferably a full suit, from dive one will keep you more comfortable on dive two. The second is to have the right accessories and add on as you go.
Accessories and what they do:
- Boots and Gloves:
Keeping your hands and feet warm is an excellent way to combat the effects of cold. It will prevent the loss of dexterity in your hands on repetitive dives, and protect you from chance encounters of the stinging kind. A good pair of dive boots will not only keep your feet nice and warm, but comfortable inside your fins. When to Add this Accessory: Once you start to feel the ache in your fingers, the only thing that’s going to warm them up is wrapping them around a hot cup of coffee. Start your dive day off with these two items to keep your finger and toe joints nimble. - Hood: Being a hot head is not a good thing unless you are diving. Covering your head slows down the heat loss. It also keeps your head safe from cuts when exploring shipwrecks. When to Add this Accessory: If the water is cold, wear it the whole time. If the water is warmer, but you started to feel a slight chill toward the end of the dive, then add it before the next one.
- Hooded Vest:
Probably one of the most versatile items you can toss in your gear bag for multi-dive days, a vest with a hood attached is the ultimate accessory to combat cold. When to Add this Accessory: What makes this item so versatile, even for warm water dives, is that you can pull the hood on and off as needed. For more temperate waters, you can start with the hood down and pull it on when you begin to feel a chill. Since the hood is attached, you don’t have to worry about it getting lost during the dive. Another advantage is you instantly increase the thickness on your core, thus keeping your vital organs warm. So you can skate by with a 3mm wetsuit when it’s borderline 5mm water temps, especially if they are both Ultrawarmth.
Don’t get cold with Ultrawarmth
A disadvantage of adding on accessories can be the bulk that comes along with it. BARE’s new Ultrawarmth Accessories gives you the advantage of Omnired™ Technology in boots, gloves, hoods and hooded vests. Stay warmer with less bulk.
By Megan Ehrenberg
Megan Ehrenberg joined the diving community in 2001, falling instantly in love. She is an accomplished technical wreck diver and enjoys all types of diving. She has worked throughout the diving industry and is an authority in diving and dive equipment.
